UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING Tops Friday Box Office - Looking At $25M Weekend!

Well it's a good movie so I'm not surprised with the box office so far. UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING took in just under $10m on Friday on track for a very cool $25m for it's opening weekend.

Further U:A garnered a solid "A-" for a CinemaScore according to Sony Screen Gems.

George Lucas' RED TAILS came in second on Friday with $6m on track for a $15m weekend which is excellent for it's genre. Wish it was in 3D. Those soaring dogfights suspended in midair in three dimensions would have been spectacular!

I'll update you on the box office results for the weekend as well - get out and see it! I was snowed in last night, but trying for it tomorrow!

Exclusive Interview: UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING's Måns Mårlind And Björn Stein, Co-Directors

I had the privilege of having lunch with the directors of UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING, Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein (SHELTER) and naturally I recorded the whole thing! Please bear with the background noise of us stuffing our faces while conversing.

I must say right up front that not only are these two directors solidly on their game, but they are total class acts and great company.

Allow me to impart to you what it was like to watch both of them at work on the set together. It is amazing to see in action. First of all, they take turns directing for a day, but they are both normally on set at the same time. They frequently discuss their shots together and really operate as one after a quick consensus. I saw no real disagreements or slowness in their process and in fact there were many benefits that I could see to their way of doing business! Clearly they had control of the set and creative freedom that any director insists upon, but they had almost a omnipotent feeling over the production to me. But the set was a relaxed yet thoroughly professional! The speed at which everyone worked to pull together the next shot was amazing. I liked what I saw and certainly the end result is fantastic. You are going to love it, especially if you are a fan of the series or action. Their passion in filmmaking was completely evident to me in person and so is their final result to you I'm sure.



0:15 - On how to pronounce their names! :-) Mads and Bjorn play along with me as they have obviously encountered this issue with other English speaking individuals!
1:00 - On what drew them to the production. Obviously the script attracted them and the fact that they had an idea about how they were going to shoot it put it over the top. They wanted to make something new out of this gothic series.
3:30 - How they are using S3D as another tool to differentiate this movie from the earlier efforts. This is their first stereoscopic 3D project and so they have brought on some expertise in the field to assist - but it still all done in house and without a third party.
4:15 - Being terrified at first about using 3D for the first time. After getting over the fear and that their shooting would change slightly for 3D, they accepted the challenge as a good thing for their careers. They both took the same 3D professional training course that James McQuaide (Visual Effects Supervisor, Executive Producer) took with Sony and the lights went off in their heads: 3D wasn't actually a problem, but a solution for their needs on UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING.
5:30 - On lens changes. The only issue, after getting up to speed with shooting 3D, is lens changes. Once that was addressed though, they are shooting now pretty much like an ordinary movie (given that the handheld shots are more restrictive in the format).
6:30 - On 3D bring much richer experience for audiences.
7:00 - On being one of the first filmmakers to be able to use the 5K Red Epic Cameras. This is their first digital production (other than commercials)! Imagine having your first experience in digital using the best on the market in Red Epics! Kasimir Lehto (Stereographer and 3D Supervisor) was at our table too - you can hear him speak up now and again. They simply love shooting in 120 frames per second (all those tricks that become possible in post - outstanding slo-mo, etc) and the fact that you don't have to keep changing cameras for different shots - the Red on max framerate covers them all.
8:30 - On using the 3ality Technica 3D rigs. They compared the 3ality rigs to the Pace Fusion rigs and thought that the Fusion ones were much larger (at least the older versions that they might have seen) and that the crew says they can work twice as fast as Fusion equipped productions. Their guess is that it has something to do with the rigs, but lets face it - directors don't mess around with the cameras very often at all (unless your James Cameron!).
10:00 - On clearing up misconceptions about 3D. Yes, handheld shots are hampered by using 3D as it is hard on the eyes of the audience if the camera is jostling around. The Red Epics can be used by restricting to 60 or 70% of the frame size to zoom because of the immense resolution of the camera. DPs like using prime lenses (artistically) and directors like zooms (because they're fast) but it doesn't take as long to align the latter.

Thank you so much Sony Screen Gems and Gloria Davies for setting this whole thing up! I loved my time on set and being back in my old neighborhood, beautiful Vancouver. I still have more interviews that I will get up soon and also for when the UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING 3D blu-ray disc hits. Stay tuned!

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING bites into theaters TOMORROW! Check it out!

Exclusive Interview: UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING's Kasimir Lehto, Stereographer And 3D Supervisor

Ok guys - here's interview #2 for the lead up to release of UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING. This time I have the pleasure to speak with one of the busiest stereographers in the world right now, Kasimir Lehto. He was Lead Stereographer on THE DARKEST HOUR and now of course the latest UNDERWORLD iteration. Kasimir also directed 6 projects and was cinematographer on 12.

Kasimir is Finnish and so English is not his first language but the interview goes very well. He is the son of another filmmaker, Pekka Lehto who directed 17 projects - mainly documentaries. Entertainment definitely runs in the family.

Keep in mind that we recorded this interview inside a cafe so there is the typical barista background noises!

Enjoy the interview...



0:30 - Kasimir just came off of shooting THE DARKEST HOUR (which was amazing!)
1:00 - On how he was attached to UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING. Kasimir was working with the same Director of Photography on THE DARKEST HOUR and he asked him to come with him to the project.
2:00 - On the Red Epics, workflow and 3ality Technica rigs. He loves the atom rigs as they are much smaller and designed for the smaller form factor of the Epics. Kasimir talks about how 3D equipment is getting more and more compact, fast and light, much less cabling and a lot less hassle in using it.
4:10 - On what exactly a Stereographer does for a production. Every project is a little bit different. The starting point is how adept are all the other crew in 3D (and how willing to learn and utilize 3D) - then the stereographer inserts his/her knowledge. On a daily basis, he starts with the 3D concepts within the script (creates a "depth script") and brings these ideas to the director and cinematographer for discussion. One of the biggest demands of the stereographer is to evangelize 3D within the film's departments - to build the excitement and educate on how to use it for their line of work. Stereographers are responsible for the quality of the film's 3D and must be willing to adapt to fast changes in the direction of the movie.
6:40 - Tips for aspiring filmmakers who want to be stereographers. His background is cinematography and he did films and commercials before getting into 3D. Kasimir's story is similar to mine and MarketSaw as he noted that Cameron was going to do AVATAR and that the digital screen revolution was poised to explode. He studied 3D full time to accomplish this.
8:10 - On co-founding a S3D company called Stereoscape. Back when they started the company there were not many 3D opportunities so they had to make it themselves.
8:35 - On 3D research projects where they measured the psychological and emotional impact of 3D on audiences. Kasimir learned 3D the way everybody should - on how audiences experience it. If they don't like something, they took note. When they did, the researchers jumped all over it and optimized their work for the end viewer. Further, with a differential analysis they determined how the creation of 3D differs from 2D.
10:20 - On moving from Finland to LA to find work in 3D.
11:00 - Potentially supervising the post production 3D for UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING.
11:40 - On using the 3ality Technica 3D rigs.
12:25 - Setting up shots in 3D with 3ality's Stereoscopic Image Processor. The SIP is an intelligent and image pair optimizing tool to assist filmmakers in real time and in all stages of production.
13:35 - On whether UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING will break the screen, rely on depth alone or a mixture of the two. He is mixing the effects - there will be some objects coming out to the audience, but depth will be there as well for full immersion.
17:10 - On the learning curve on using the Red Epics.
17:40 - On setting up 3D continuity. Keeping depth to a minimum for dramatic shots - closeup of the eyes and faces so that the audience is paying attention to that instead of how much a character's nose is coming out at them! Always reinforcing what the directors and DP are trying to achieve with their lens choices and set up.

Thank you very much Kasimir for your time and expertise! Looking forward to talking again very soon and keeping up to speed with your next project. Again, thanks to Sony Screen Gems for this opportunity and in particular Gloria Davies.

Oh and I had some lengthy discussions with actor Michael Ealy (2nd photo) who is a tremendous basketball fan, however his choice in team leaves much to be desired! Sorry Michael. :-)

Stay tuned for more interview surprises coming up! UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING opens January 20.

Exclusive Interview: UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING's James McQuaide, Exec Producer & Visual Effects Supervisor

Hey guys - have a special treat for you this week! I want to show you why UNDERWORLD AWAKENING has placed so highly on my most anticipated list of 2012 and we'll do that by giving you several cool technical and behind-the-scenes interviews with the crew behind this project. I hope to underscore just how creative and exciting these guys are.

All of these interviews took place either in the underground garage set, the gorgeous Vancouver waterfront, the University of British Columbia or at one of the catering locations. I want to thank Sony Screen Gems for setting this all up and in particular Gloria Davies who coordinated the whole thing. Thanks Gloria!

We'll be starting with James McQuaide, Executive Producer and Visual Effects Supervisor. We were sitting at a small cafe on Vancouver's busy waterfront so please excuse any wind or background noise!

James is well known for his visual effects. Check out this list of some of his awesome films: UNDERWORLD, CRANK, UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION, CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE, UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS, GAMER, THE LINCOLN LAWYER and of course UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING. The guy knows what he is doing and it shows. Clearly he is a key ingredient to the UNDERWORLD franchise.

James and I clicked immediately as we have many things in common, not the least of which is the technology behind blockbuster movies! So have a listen to the interview...



0:32 - James introduces us to an exciting technology known as LIDAR!
4:50 - On why they went with shooting native 3D. 28 weeks of post production to deliver 800 effects shots.
5:40 - What shots needed to be done in 2D and converted. For example the Vancouver rush hour street scenes where the lycans are out in the open and running amok. The 2D rain had to be taken out for the shot and reinserted in 3D. How LIDAR helped in these circumstances after taking those scans every 20 feet of the 3 or 4 blocks of streetscape.
9:00 - Placing LIDAR 3D, geometric, RGB scene information on top of the 2D optical scenes and assisting in 3D conversion.
10:50 - Using Microsoft's Kinect technology (similar to LIDAR only it uses infrared) to present Kate's psychic connection
13:55 - On the script was being creatively rewritten on the fly but the pre-vis was almost shot frame by frame and was the driving force.
15:20 - Myth debunked: LIDAR is not expensive and does not need an outside facility.
15:55 - On not bringing in a third party 3D solutions company and shooting native all in house with an experienced stereographer (Kasimir Lehto).
17:30 - Using Red Epic cameras (bought six & renting two) and 3ality Technica 3D rigs (own 3 or 4 Atoms). No issues using the Reds or 3ality Technica rigs. Remarkably easy to use systems. Lakeshore Entertainment owns two Red Ones as well.
21:40 - The production had internal dailies (turnaround time 1 hour from a single card) using the Red Rocket (enables 4K and 5K decoding in realtime). It was done through Outpost stations with a couple of Red Rocket cards in it. All of this was viewable with two on set 65" 3D televisions in a segregated black tent.
25:10 - On the possibility of "hourlies" or a collection of hourlies as opposed to "dailies".
25:45 - On Red Epics 5K resolution and a higher framerate for the finale of the film. The two Red Epics are genlocked at 72 frames per second. Then they got a build from Red that allows 120 frames per second at 5K! Compression then goes from 5:1 to 12:1 or 13:1.
28:00 - Introducing 3D to others in the crew / talent. They used the Sony 3D Professional Workshop that eliminates much of the fear behind the format.
29:10 - Admiration for AVATAR and how good 3D is easily forgotten by the audience while watching it.
31:25 - They may have released at a higher framerate if Peter Jackson or James Cameron had of announced their intended rate by the start date of the UNDERWORLD production.
32:10 - On testing some footage at the Vancouver Science Center IMAX theater and the possibility of a 5K 3D image.

What LIDAR seems to be able to do is dramatically improve post production conversion of 2D to 3D scenes (be it for 1 scene or a whole movie) so that the guesswork is eliminated from spacial and color considerations. This is one of the main reasons why it is important to have the director present for conversions before LIDAR! The director would have to recall why he shot it a certain way and most of the time it included spacial and color considerations. With LIDAR, you get a confident representation of the scene - even better than the director's memory. It adds reality to conversions that can sometimes stretch the truth a great deal.

And of course with the 3D Red Epics at 5K & 120 frames per second (at times) and the stability & versatility of the 3ality Technica 3D rigs, you have one heckuva cool, technically shot film.

Can you see why I am so excited about how this film was shot and how it will look?

I was able to see all of this technology in action and in great detail. I saw what they were shooting pre-vis wise and then the scenes in action. Very cool stuff indeed.

Thanks so much for your time James and I'm looking forward to the next time we talk!

Stay tuned for more interviews coming up - including the film's stereographer Kasimir Lehto!

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING opens January 20. Check. It. OUT.

MUST SEE: New Images From UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING

More UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING images for you! Stay tuned for my U:A team interviews coming up soon.

Click to enlarge...

MUST WATCH: New UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING Trailer! Check Out The Uber-Lycan!!

Saw this trailer in front of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (which rocked btw) last night! The UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING trailer reveals much more including a great glympse of the new uber-lycan.

Further, Eve (India Eisley) is shown to have a pretty big role in this movie. You'll see what I mean.

Note how humans are now up close and personal now with UNDERWORLD characters. Should prove interesting!

Here's the storyline:
The vampire warrioress Selene, escapes imprisonment to find herself in a world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species.

Don't forget I am going to be releasing a series of interviews with the team that I had the pleasure of meeting over a three day stay on the UNDERWORLD set in Vancouver. Definitely stay tuned for the that in early January!

Check out the new trailer:



More soon!!

YES! New UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING Trailer!

Jim here. I think this iteration could be the best of the lot. I have seen the previz and the actual shooting of the finale for UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING and let me tell you I was thrilled at what I was seeing. From a technical and cinematic point of view, all the pieces are there and from the storyboarding it all looks amazing.

When I spoke with the co-directors Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein, I got a keen sense of where they were going with it and it all made sense to me as a fan of the universe. This fourth movie definitely adds a new take! I will have my interviews up during the coming months once I get clearance from the studio.

Now we have our first trailer and I am even more amped! I am beginning to see just how well those Red Epics captured the native S3D action and the level of detail is simply staggering. UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING snaps you out of mundane sequels and into a visual and vibrant new take on the franchise. Yeah, I'm sold on it.



Here's the official storyline:
After being held in a coma-like state for fifteen years, vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale) learns that she has a fourteen-year-old vampire/Lycan hybrid daughter, Eve, and when she finds her, they must stop BioCom from creating super Lycans that will kill them all.

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING opens in theaters January 20, 2012. Stay tuned for my exclusive interviews coming soon!

SEE: New UNDERWORLD 4 Poster... And Why I Am Excited About This Film!!

At last we see some tease for the upcoming UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING that will be biting into theaters January 20, 2012. I believe this is from Comic-Con and I grabbed it from Kellvin Chavez's Facebook stream.

I am extremely excited about this film. As you may have heard, Sony / Screen Gems invited me out to Vancouver for a few days to visit the set and it was a blast! Loved every moment of it. I can't talk about anything yet, but I will have indepth interviews with many of the team in the coming months once I get the oks. They gave me unprecedented access to previz and of course the set and I walked away with my jaw on the floor.

My jaw was dragging for a number of reasons - I can say it was a pleasure to see the RED Epics at work in stereoscopic 3D config! There are other technical details I can't divulge yet, but it amazed me. Sincerely. Can't wait for the results!

Måns Mårlind, Björn Stein are co-directing and those two were remarkable to watch in action. It marks the first time I have watched those important duties being shared and they obviously are a well oiled machine.

Anyway, the poster looks great! Kate Beckinsale clearly carries the movie, but her supporting cast is VERY strong. More when I am cleared to tell you!!

UNDERWORLD 4 Will Shoot With RED EPICS

Another one! THE HOBBIT, SPIDER-MAN, ALIEN Prequels and now UNDERWORLD 4!! All shot in stereoscopic 3D. All shot with RED EPICs. Impressive start for this new 5K camera isn't it?

Clearly there is good competition for the existing offerings from the Pace FUSION system as well as 3ality Digital. Healthy times indeed for the 3D industry!

James McQuaide, SVP Production, Lakeshore Entertainment stated:
"We could not be more pleased to be able to continue with UNDERWORLD 4 a relationship we began with RED more than 3 years ago when we purchased two RED Ones (serial numbers "N" and "T") to shoot a picture called GAMER. In the years since, we've used those two cameras on pretty much every show we've produced - we are just finishing-up the DI on LINCOLN LAWYER and it looks spectacular. With the EPIC, RED has clearly elevated their game into the stratosphere - all the tapeless workflow efficiencies are still present but the image quality is now every bit as staggering as the rumors we've all heard. And being an S3D show, that we can put two EPICs on an Atom rig and hand-hold a shot, frees us to both practically and creatively shoot the picture exactly as we want. I Know it's been said before but, plain-and-simple, for both film-makers and ultimately the audience, the Epic is a game-changer."

The news came via Jarred Land on the RedUser Forums... Thanks Mark!

Sony Screen Gems PRIEST Will Be Battling Vampires In S3D!!

Jim here. It has been a very busy week in S3D! Now comes word from erc BoxOffice (via ComingSoon) that Sony Screen Gems will be pushing back the Paul Bettany / Karl Urban thriller PRIEST from August 20 to January 14, 2011 to allow it to be released in S3D.

The movie is about a warrior priest (Bettany) who disobeys Church law by teaming with a young sheriff (Cam Gigandet) and a beautiful priestess (Maggie Q). The three band together to track down a band of renegade vampires who have kidnapped the priest's niece before they turn her into one of them.

ComingSoon also said that UNDERWORLD4 has been delayed as well from January 21, 2011 to September 23, 2011 - and then very casually said that it appears it will no longer be shot in 3D. HUH? That does not hold water with me at all - they did not give a source for this rumor either, unless it is erc BoxOffice.

More on this when I can gather it. Looking forward to PRIEST - it sounds like a great comic book to bring over to S3D!

Quick Post: Kate Is Confirmed For UNDERWORLD 4 In S3D

Jim here. Variety has confirmed what BloodyDisgusting reported back in August - Kate Beckinsdale will be in UNDERWORLD 4 which will be shot in S3D.

The film is slated for January 21, 2011.

Makes sense to have that star power attached. But according to rumors at BloodyDisgusting, she may want out: Well, sources tell us she's trying to find a way out of the film -- or at least have a smaller role in order to "pass the torch" to one of her kindred (yes, she has not one, but two daughters at this point).

Either way, the franchise will look great in S3D I am sure. Len Wiseman is directing and I am comfortable with where he will most likely take the movie.